We've covered personality differences and motivation drivers. Now let's explore how these show up in daily communication - the most important leadership skill.
Think about your last code review discussion. Some people jumped straight into technical issues, others stayed quiet. Some focused on system performance, others on team learning.
Engagement Message
Share one communication difference you've observed in your technical team.
Here's what many leaders miss: people don't just have different personalities - they have completely different communication styles and preferences.
What feels natural and comfortable to you might feel overwhelming or insufficient to someone else.
Engagement Message
Can you think of someone whose communication style confuses you during technical discussions?
Research identifies four primary communication styles based on two key dimensions: how direct people are, and whether they focus on tasks or relationships.
These aren't personality types - they're communication preferences that you can observe and adapt to.
Engagement Message
Do you tend to be more direct or more diplomatic in code reviews?
Let's start with directness. Direct communicators get straight to the point: "This implementation has performance issues." They value efficiency and clarity.
Indirect communicators soften their approach: "I wonder if we might consider optimizing this approach for better performance?" They value harmony and consideration.
Engagement Message
Which approach—direct or indirect—feels more natural to you in technical discussions?
The second dimension is task focus versus people focus. Task-focused communicators prioritize system reliability and code quality.
People-focused communicators prioritize relationships and how technical decisions affect team learning and morale. They ask about developer experience and consider personal growth impact.
